Atlanta Braves: Replacing Jason Heyward
Atlanta Braves: Replacing Jason Heyward, COMMENTARY | For the Atlanta Braves, replacing stud right fielder Jason Heyward after fracturing his jaw Wednesday, Aug. 21 is going to be a challenge.
The team is certainly in a cushy enough position in the standings that it has some room to experiment, but the options available to manager Fredi Gonzalez are far from a sure thing.
Schafer Needs to Keep Up Strong Work
Jordan Schafer has done a great job with limited role this year. In his second stint with the club, Schafer has a .380 OBP and an impressive 13 stolen bases through 171 plate appearances.
Most of Schafer's playing time this year came during Heyward's first extended absence while recovering from a ruptured appendix. He has proven steady both off the bench and in a starting role, so Braves fans should be optimistic about him fitting right in.
The 2013 season has been a breakout year for Schafer. He has come a long way after a 50-game suspension for human growth hormone in 2008, finally shedding concerns about his maturity. Braves fans should be excited to see him get regular playing time over the last six weeks of the regular season. Come October, he will at least be a dependable pinch-hitter and pinch-runner for the club.
Terdoslavich Has a Big Opportunity
Joey Terdoslavich was considered a top hitting prospect for the club coming into the year. Now, he's going to have an early opportunity to prove himself.
Terdoslavich cruised through the minor leagues after the Braves took him in the sixth round of the 2010 draft. Since his call-up July 4, he has been almost exclusively a pinch-hitter. He has done well in just 56 plate appearances this season and should expect to see a spike in starts.
It would be a stretch to expect Terdoslavich to do anything more than plug a hole, but that does not diminish the importance of these next few weeks for his career. The Braves' outfield is set for the next few years, assuming that B.J. Upton isn't actually the worst player in the big leagues, but there is a real chance for the versatile Terdoslavich to prove that he could be a utility or even regular player in 2014 and beyond.
B.J. Not Going Anywhere
Heyward's absence, reportedly lasting four to six weeks, will mean a continued reliance on B.J. Upton to play center field. This is bad news for those of us excited to see recent bench-time for the colossal bust.
The money is a sunk cost at this point, but the Braves could almost hold an open tryout and get as much production as his .269 on-base percentage and .299 slugging percentage over 367 plate appearances.
That inability to get on base has negated his impressive speed. The old baseball adage that speed doesn't go into a slump doesn't really apply when a guy is striking out on a third of his at bats and reaching base in only a quarter of them.
For Upton, the injury to Heyward could be considered another opportunity to prove that he should be patrolling the outfield come October. But thanks to the massive contract he signed this last offseason, he's already had a chance to burn through nine lives. Here's to hoping he figures something out and lands on his feet soon. He's looked lost all year, and there is now a huge hole for him to fill.
Extra Bits and Pieces
Any spare playing time or pinch-hit opportunities will come from the motley crew of Evan Gattis, Paul Janish and Reed Johnson.
Johnson is still a long way from returning after an Achilles injury, but he remains an asset to the team. Janish has been a below-average player filling in for the injured Dan Uggla, so in an ideal world he won't see much playoff action.
And, finally, there's Gattis who, as much as it pains me to say it, has turned into a pumpkin since taking the league by storm in the first half. Gerald Laird is and should be the primary backup to the irreplaceable Brian McCann. Gattis will still see playing time, given his sledgehammer power potential, devoted following, and incredible life story . But the performance just hasn't been there.
The Braves are a long way from panic mode, but the wait for Heyward to return is going to be nerve wracking. On the plus side, it is nice to have a laboratory available to straighten out the playoff squad.
The team is certainly in a cushy enough position in the standings that it has some room to experiment, but the options available to manager Fredi Gonzalez are far from a sure thing.
Schafer Needs to Keep Up Strong Work
Jordan Schafer has done a great job with limited role this year. In his second stint with the club, Schafer has a .380 OBP and an impressive 13 stolen bases through 171 plate appearances.
Most of Schafer's playing time this year came during Heyward's first extended absence while recovering from a ruptured appendix. He has proven steady both off the bench and in a starting role, so Braves fans should be optimistic about him fitting right in.
The 2013 season has been a breakout year for Schafer. He has come a long way after a 50-game suspension for human growth hormone in 2008, finally shedding concerns about his maturity. Braves fans should be excited to see him get regular playing time over the last six weeks of the regular season. Come October, he will at least be a dependable pinch-hitter and pinch-runner for the club.
Terdoslavich Has a Big Opportunity
Joey Terdoslavich was considered a top hitting prospect for the club coming into the year. Now, he's going to have an early opportunity to prove himself.
Terdoslavich cruised through the minor leagues after the Braves took him in the sixth round of the 2010 draft. Since his call-up July 4, he has been almost exclusively a pinch-hitter. He has done well in just 56 plate appearances this season and should expect to see a spike in starts.
It would be a stretch to expect Terdoslavich to do anything more than plug a hole, but that does not diminish the importance of these next few weeks for his career. The Braves' outfield is set for the next few years, assuming that B.J. Upton isn't actually the worst player in the big leagues, but there is a real chance for the versatile Terdoslavich to prove that he could be a utility or even regular player in 2014 and beyond.
B.J. Not Going Anywhere
Heyward's absence, reportedly lasting four to six weeks, will mean a continued reliance on B.J. Upton to play center field. This is bad news for those of us excited to see recent bench-time for the colossal bust.
The money is a sunk cost at this point, but the Braves could almost hold an open tryout and get as much production as his .269 on-base percentage and .299 slugging percentage over 367 plate appearances.
That inability to get on base has negated his impressive speed. The old baseball adage that speed doesn't go into a slump doesn't really apply when a guy is striking out on a third of his at bats and reaching base in only a quarter of them.
For Upton, the injury to Heyward could be considered another opportunity to prove that he should be patrolling the outfield come October. But thanks to the massive contract he signed this last offseason, he's already had a chance to burn through nine lives. Here's to hoping he figures something out and lands on his feet soon. He's looked lost all year, and there is now a huge hole for him to fill.
Extra Bits and Pieces
Any spare playing time or pinch-hit opportunities will come from the motley crew of Evan Gattis, Paul Janish and Reed Johnson.
Johnson is still a long way from returning after an Achilles injury, but he remains an asset to the team. Janish has been a below-average player filling in for the injured Dan Uggla, so in an ideal world he won't see much playoff action.
And, finally, there's Gattis who, as much as it pains me to say it, has turned into a pumpkin since taking the league by storm in the first half. Gerald Laird is and should be the primary backup to the irreplaceable Brian McCann. Gattis will still see playing time, given his sledgehammer power potential, devoted following, and incredible life story . But the performance just hasn't been there.
The Braves are a long way from panic mode, but the wait for Heyward to return is going to be nerve wracking. On the plus side, it is nice to have a laboratory available to straighten out the playoff squad.
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